Distributing apparatus for contact masses



Jan. 15, 1935. TB. PRICKETT ET AL DISTRIBUTING APPARATUS FOR CONTAC/I MASSES 1 1 1 I l f 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 11 11 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 W 1 1 1 1 1 1111 1 111 1 111 1 1 111 11111 111 111 11 11 1111 11111 1111 1 1 111 \v v x irl IVWIIIO O O G O Q G 0 O 0 900 00 I \w 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I l l I l 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1111 11 111 /11 1 11 111 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 11 1v 1 1 11 11 111 v 11111111 111 111111 1 1 1 1 1 111 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 11 111 1111 111111 11111 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11111 1 1 111 11 1 1 1 1 11 11 11 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 .11 1 1 1 1 1 1 111 11 111 1 1111 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 11 1 1 1 1 11 Q 1 1 1 2 11 1 1 1 1 1 11 QR 111111111 11111 1111 11 11111111111111 1 11 11 11 11 1 1/ 111/1f 1/1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 11 1 1 1 1/10 11 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Thomas B. Prickett, Woodbury, N. J., and Eugene J. Houdry, Process Corporation, of Delaware Application May 19, 1932,

28 Claims.

This invention relates to the utilization of contact masses in effecting chemical transformations. More particularly it concerns apparatus for distributing through the contact mass and/or removal therefrom of the substances to be transformed as well as of the medium used in the puriflcation, regeneration, or reactivation of the contact mass. It may be considered as involving improvements in or further developments of certain features of the inventions disclosed in copending applications of Eugene J. Houdry, Serial No. 611,362, filed May 14, 1932, and Serial No. 611,363, filed May 14, 1932.

When dealing with large contact masses such as are involved in large scale commercial applications of a process, problems are frequently encountered which never appear during the experimental or laboratory development of the process. For example, variations in temperatures in different parts of the contact mass of the experimental unit may be so slight as to pass unnoticed or be ignored as unimportant. The same variations, when transferred to operations on a much greater scale, may be magnified to such an extent that the contact mass in whole or in part is above or below the required temperature of reaction. Experience and research indicate that satisfactory results in processes involving the use of contact masses require a high degree of uniformity of temperature throughout the mass during the reaction periods and maintenance of this uniformity during transitions from one reaction temperature to another. This is primarily a function of distribution.

One object of the invention is to secure uniformity of temperature within a contact mass. Another object is to effect distribution of fluids throughout the mass at uniform temperature and pressure. Still another. object is to prevent undue temperature changes in a portion of the contact mass by heat transfer to or from a stream of fluid prior to or after distribution. Other objects will be apparent from the detailed description which follows.

In order to illustrate the invention, a concrete embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawing. of a distributing unit which is embedded in a contact mass, portions of the container for the contact mass and of certain associated parts being also shown in section; and Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sectional views of the unit on lines 2--2 and 3-3 respectively.

In the drawing, Aindicates a contact mass which may be of any suitable or desired type for the in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view Paris, France, assignors to Houdry Dover, Del., a corporation Serial No. 612,222

required modification of the substance undergoing treatment. Thus, for example, it may be merely a mass of inert porous material such as broken fragments of brick or fire clay, lumps of pumice stone or molded pieces of the inert carrier disclosed in United States patent of Alfred Joseph, No. 1,818,403, issued August 11, 1931. On the other hand, the mass may comprise materials having catalytic activity, such as fragments of metals including iron, copper, nickel, vanadium,

etc., or mixtures of such metals, or oxides of the metals, preferably supported by a carrier of any known type, as, for example, that disclosed in the aforesaid United States Patent No. 1,818,403, or

other active materials such as fullers earth, hy-' drosilicate of alumina, with or without admixture of metals or metallic oxides. In any case, the contact mass should be in the form of fragments, lumps or molded pieces to permit the fluid admitted thereto to spread or percolate freely therethrough and to permit the mass to be regenerated in situ.

Embedded in the contact mass A is one or more units which may be utilized either for distributing the entering fluid or for venting the reaction taking place within mass A, or for both distributing and venting. Since the units are identical in structure, only one need be disclosed to illustrate the invention. Hence the the products of accompanying drawing shows one such unit with a fragmentary part only of the casing or box containing contact mass A. The unit B is of the double conduit type disclosed in the aforesaid copending Houdry application Serial No. 611,363. It comprises an 5 therethrough distributed uniformly throughout its length and an inner conduit, which is concentrically disposed within conduit 4, but consists of portions of different diameter in stepped relation. In the form of the invention shown, two portions, namely, portion 6 of small diameter, which is imperforate throughout its length, and larger diametered portion '7, the two portions being either integral or connected together as indicated by any suitable means, such as sleeve or coupling member 8. Enlarged portion '1 has a series of openings or ports 9 therein, irregularly spaced throughout its length. The first of these openings is adjacent coupling 8 and they outer conduit 4 having openings there are 40 a threaded increase progressively in number, with the result which is normally 55,

the inlet end, suitable means are provided for insulating the inner conduit. One arrangement is to surround imperforate section 6 with a metallic sleeve 10 in spaced relation to the section but secured to the latter adjacent coupling 8 in any suitable manner, as by welding. Th space bew eelserelilaud or 6 my h m con: veriiently filled with any suitable heat insulating material Il;'prefe1fably inpowdered or flake'form. Outer conduit 4'of unit B may be suitably secured to sleeve 10 adjacent the upper end thereof, as by welding. Spacing means (not shown) may be provided as desired or required to maintain stepped inner conduit 6, '7 in concentric relation to outer conduit 4. By preference, sleeve 10 surrounding portion 6 projects outwardly of the latter beyond the projection of enlarged portion '7, thereby restricting the annular chamber between the inner and outer conduits of unit B within the portion traversed by reduced portion 6, the latter comprising normally about one-third of the length of the inner conduit of unit B.

The upper limit of the chamber containing contact mass A may be defined by a partition 12 and its lower end by a similar partition 13. Partition 12 may be spaced from contact mass A as indicated to provide an inlet space for the material to be treated or the latter may be distributed through the mass by entering inner conduit 6, '7 of unit B. To provide for insertion and removal of units B, either or both partitions 12 and 13 may have annular openings such as 12a of sufiicient size to provide passage for unit B. The latter may be secured in place in any suitable manner as by a collar or flanged portion 10a on sleeve 10, or 10a may be a perforated plate secured both to partition 12 and to sleeve 10 in any suitable manner as by welding, after unit B is in place within the casing for contact mass A. A cover plate 14 may be disposed in spaced relation to partition 12 to provide therebetween a chamber 15 which may be filled with insulating material. Chamber 15 may communicate, as indicated, with the space between portion 6 of the inner conduit and surrounding sleeve 10, so that the latter space may be filled with insulating material 11 at the same time that chamber 15 is filled. Portion 6 preferably extends through cover 14 and is connected as by a coupling 16 to inlet header 17. The opposite end of the casing for contact mass A may have an outlet header provided by an additional partition or cover member 18 in spaced relation to partition 13.

The operation of the invention may be illustrated by a concrete example. Let us assume that contact mass A is to be maintained at a uniform temperature of 1050" F., as during a regenerating period in which contaminants within mass A, resulting from a previous operative run, are to be eliminated by oxidation, and that the regenerating medium is admitted to inner conduit 6, 'I at a very much lower temperature, as about 100 F. The design of unit B is such that the regenerating fluid issues from ports in outer ,conduit 4 at constant temperature and pressure lthroughout the length of conduit 4. Under these conditions, the regenerating fluid, such as air alone or air mixed with a desired proportion of inert gas such as flue gas, is fed at such a rate to consume the contaminants that, with the contact mass held at 1050" F. by the burning of the contaminants therein, outer conduit 4 is at 850 F. and the entering regenerating fluid is heated within enlarged section 7 by radiation from the surrounding portion of outer conduit 4. Excessiye cooling of the upper endy! conduit/A is avwuj'ylififiiiiimliiiemfmartian 6 .andnby the tl e.gwteeuiewletin mat ia 11 t igmate e s between cut r cofifiil't'i'and section 6 of the 1nne r co n duit. At thc sametime 'therstriction"of the annular chamber between inner and outer conduits of unit B at the upper end of sleeve forces the regenerating fluid, already heated by radiation in section '7, to pass upwardly along the inner wall of outer conduit 4 and to absorb heat from the latter before it passes through the openings 5 which are within the zone of the insulating material around inlet conduit section 6. Extensive experimentation has demonstrated that with the herein disclosed structural form of distributing unit a uniform temperature may be maintained throughout a contact mass and that temperature changes may be made uniformly and simultaneously throughout the contact mass.

We claim as our invention:

1. In combination in a contact mass for effecting chemical transformations, a distributing unit comprising nested inner and outer conduits hav ing openings in the walls thereof, means for admitting fluid to the inner of said conduits for distribution by the outer of said conduits, and means restricting transfer of heat by radiation between portions of said conduits.

2. In combination in a contact mass for effecting chemical transformations, a distributing unit comprising nested inner and outer conduits providing an annular chamber therebetween and having openings through the walls thereof connecting with said chamber, and means restricting transfer of heat by radiation between said conduits at one end of said chamber.

3. In combination in a contact mass for effecting chemical transformations, a distributing unit comprising nested inner and outer conduits providing an annular chamber therebetween and having openings through the walls thereof connecting with said chambers, means for admitting fluid to the inner of said conduits for distribution by the outer of said conduits, ing transfer of heat by radiation between said conduits adjacent the inlet end of said inner conduit.

4. The combination with a contact mass of a unit embedded therein comprising nested conduits having openings therethrough, the openings in the outer of said conduits being regularly spaced throughout its length and the openings in the inner of said conduits being irregularly spaced, and means for preventing heat transfer by radiation between portions of said conduits.

5. The combination with a contact mass of a unit embedded therein comprising nested conduits having openings therethrough, the openings in the inner of said conduits being predominately at one end and decreasing therefrom and ceasing entirely at some distance from the other end of the same, and means preventing heat transfer by radiation between said outerconduit and the imperforate portion of said inner conduit.

6. The combination with a contact mass of a unit embedded therein comprising nested conduits having openings therethrough, the openings in the outer of said conduits being regularly spaced throughout its length and the openings in the inner of said 0 nduits being predominately at the outer end an decreasing therefrom until they cease entirely at some distance from the inner end of said inner conduit, and means preventing heat transfer between said outer conduit and means restrict- CHLwus l m and the imperforate portion of said inner conduit.

'7. In combination in a contact mass for effecting chemical transformations, a distributing unit comprising nested inner and outer conduits providing an annular chamber therebetween and having openings through the walls thereof connecting with said chamber, a portion of said inner conduit being imperforate, and insulating material surrounding said imperforate portion of said inner conduit.

8. In combination in a contact mass for effecting chemical transformations, a distributing unit comprising nested inner and outer conduits providing an annular chamber therebetween and having openings through the walls thereof connecting with said chamber, said inner conduit being imperforate for a portion of its length at one end, and heat insulating means enclosing said imperforate portion of said inner conduit.

9. In fluid distributing or venting apparatus for contact masses, a unit comprising inner and outer nested conduits providing therebetween an elongate annular chamber, openings through the walls of both said conduits communicating with said chamber, and means reducing the area of said chamber throughout a portion of its length.

10. In fluid distributing or venting apparatus for contact masses, a unit comprising inner and outer nested conduits providing therebetween an elongate annular chamber, openings through the walls of both said conduits communicating with said chamber but a portion of one of said conduits being imperforate, and means reducing said chamber within the length of said imperforate portion.

11. In fluid distributing or venting apparatus for contact masses, a unit comprising inner and outer nested conduits providing therebetween an elongate annular chamber, openings through the walls of both said conduits communicating with said chamber but a portion of said inner conduit being imperforate, and means on said inner conduit reducing said chamber throughout the length of said imperforate portion.

12. In fluid distributing or venting apparatus for contact masses, a unit comprising inner and outer nested conduits providing therebetween an chamber, openings through the walls of both said conduits communicating with said chamber but a portion of one of said conduits being imperforate, and insulating means reducing said chamber imperforate portion and preventing heat exchange by radiation between said conduits.

13; In fluid distributing or venting apparatus for contact masses, a unit comprising inner and outer nested conduits providing therebetween an elongate annular chamber, openings through the walls of both said conduits communicating with said chamber but a portion of said inner conduit being imperforate, and means enclosing the imperforate portion of said inner conduit for reducing said chamber and for preventing heat exchange by radiation between said conduits.

14. In fluid distributing or venting apparatus for contact masses, a unit comprising inner and outer nested conduits providing therebetween an elongate annular chamber, openings through the walls of both said conduits communicating with said chamber but said inner conduit having an imperforate portion of reduced diameter, and means enclosing said reduced diameter portion of said inner conduit to make it of greater diameter than the remainder of said inner conduit.

15. In fluid distributing or venting apparatus for contact masses, a unit comprising inner and outer nested conduits providing therebetween an elongate annular chamber, openings through the walls of both said conduits communicating with said chamber but said inner conduit having an imperforate portion of reduced diameter, and insulating means surrounding said reduced diameter portion of said inner conduit to prevent heat transfer by radiation between said conduits and to restrict said chamber.

16. In combination in a contact mass for effecting chemical transformations, a distributing unit comprising nested inner and outer conduits having openings in the walls thereof, the outer conduit being of uniform diameter, and the inner conduit being of non-uniform diameter to effect unequal heat exchange by radiation between axially spaced portions of said conduits.

1'7. In combination in a contact mass for effecting chemical transformations, a distributing unit comprising nested inner and outer conduits having openings in the walls thereof, the outer conduit being of uniform diameter, the inner conduit being of non-uniform diameter, and insulating means enclosing a portion of said inner conduit.

18. In combination in a contact mass for effecting chemical transformations, a distributing unit comprising nested inner and outer conduits having openings in the walls thereof, the inner conduit having stepped portions, and insulating material encircling a portion only of said inner conduit.

19. In fluid distributing or venting apparatus for contact masses a unit comprising concentric nested conduits providing therebetween an elongate annular chamber, openings through the walls of both said conduits communicating with said chamber, a sleeve encircling a portion of said inner conduit and forming an annular chamber about the latter, and insulating material within said annular chamber formed by said sleeve.

20. The combination with a contact mass of a fluid conducting unit embedded therein comprising nested inner and outer conduits providing an annular chamber therebetween, said outer conduit having ports establishing communication between said chamber and said mass, said inner conduit entering said outer conduit through one of the closed ends of the latter and communicating with said annular chamber, and means in said annular chamber for restricting heat transfer between said conduits.

21. In apparatus for effecting chemical transformations, a case providing a reaction chamber, a contact mass in said chamber, a fluid conducting unit embedded in said mass and comprising nested conduits, and means insulating the top of said chamber against loss of heat and restricting heat exchange by radiation between said conduits.

22. In apparatus for effecting chemical transformations, a case providing a reaction chamber, a contact mass in said chamber, a fluid conducting unit embedded in said mass and comprising nested conduits, and heat insulating material extending across the top of said chamber and extending down between the conduits of said unit.

23. In apparatus for effecting chemical transformations, a case providing a reaction chamber, a contact mass in said chamber, spaced partitions in said case above said mass forming a chamber therebetween, a fluid conducting unit embedded in said mass comprising nested conduits, said inner conduit extending through said spaced partitions, a sleeve encircling a portion of said inner conduit and partly in spaced relation thereto to form an annular chamber opening into said chamber between said partitions, and insulating material filling said last named chamber and extending within the annular chamber formed by said sleeve.

24. In apparatus for effecting chemical transformations, a case providing a chamber, a contact mass within said chamber, spaced partitions in said case above said mass forming a chamber therebetween, a distributing unit embedded in said mass comprising nested conduits providing therebetween an elongate annular chamber, openings through the walls of both said conduits communicating with said annular chamber, said inner conduit extending through said spaced partitions, a sleeve encircling a portion of said inner conduit and partly in spaced relation thereto to form an annular chamber opening into said chamber between said partitions, and insulating material filling said last named chamber and extending within the annular chamber formed by said sleeve.

25. A fluid conducting unit adapted to be embedded in a contact mass comprising an outer apertured conduit having closed ends, an inner conduit entering through one of the closed ends of said outer conduit and terminating adjacent the other end for admitting fluid to or discharging fluid from said unit, and means restricting heat exchange by radiation between certain portlons of said conduits.

26. In heat exchange apparatus, a fluid conducting unit adapted to be embedded in a contact mass comprising an outer conduit closed at one end, an inner conduit entering through the opposite end of said outer conduit and terminating adjacent said closed end thereof for admitting fluid to or discharging fluid from said outer conduit, and a sleeve secured to said opposite end of said outer conduit to close the latter and to an intermediate portion of said inner conduit.

2'1. In heat exchange apparatus, a fluid conducting unit adapted to be embedded in a contact mass comprising an outer conduit closed at one end, an inner conduit entering through the opposite end of said outer conduit and terminating adjacent said closed end thereof for admitting fluid to or discharging fluid from said outer conduit, means for restricting heat transfer by radiation between said conduits comprising a sleeve secured to said opposite end of said outer conduit to close the latter and to an intermediate portion of said inner conduit, and insulating material in said sleeve.

28. In heat exchange apparatus, inner and outer conduits in nested arrangement providing a space therebetween, means in said space interconnecting said conduits to determine the quantity and place of transfer of heat by conduction, and additional means in said space for controlling heat exchange between said conduits.

THOMAS B. PRICKETT. EUGENE J. HOUDRY. 

